President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) yesterday defended the legitimacy of his private interactions with Prosecutor-General Huang Shih-ming (黃世銘), at the center of a wiretapping incident, and said he is willing to go to court to dismiss allegations that he was giving instructions to Huang on how to handle the incident.
In an interview with News 98 radio show host Clara Chou (周玉蔻), Ma confirmed that Huang met with him on Aug. 31 and Sept. 1 at the presidential residence to report on the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office Special Investigation Division’s (SID) probe into alleged improper lobbying by Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平) on behalf of Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) caucus whip Ker Chien-ming (柯建銘). He said he had also telephoned Huang several times between Sept. 6 and Friday last week.
The telephone calls were made to ask Huang to clarify public allegations and questions, including recent claims that the SID had been illegally monitoring telephone lines at the legislature, Ma said.
Photo: CNA
“I have not given any instructions to any probes. The SID is part of the government as a whole and when doubts are raised about any of the government’s work, I have always asked government agencies for explanations,” he said.
When asked whether his meetings and telephone conversations with Huang had intervened in the ongoing probe, Ma insisted that the SID’s probe into Wang’s alleged involvement in undue lobbying was an investigation of administrative wrongdoing, rather than a criminal case where confidentiality is required.
Ma said he would cooperate with the Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office should they summon him as a witness in a probe of Huang’s monitoring of the legislature’s switchboard, but adding that he would not make public his telephone conversations with Huang.
“I am willing to cooperate with the prosecutors’ investigation in any way [including a confrontation with Huang],” he said.
It has been reported that the prosecutors’ office contacted the Presidential Office to ask when Ma would be available, and whether an interview could be conducted at the prosecutors’ office or at Ma’s residence.
The conversations between Ma and Huang were revealed by Huang on Sept. 9 at a press conference.
He said he had gone to Ma’s residence to report on Wang’s involvement in the case on Aug. 31, which was before the investigation had been completed.
He later told a legislative session on Sept. 25 that Ma had asked him to visit his residence again on Sept. 1.
Huang also confirmed that Ma had telephoned him after the Sept. 6 press conference, sparking concerns about Ma’s role in the case.
Ma said he held a meeting with then-deputy secretary-general of the Presidential Office Lo Chih-chiang (羅智強) and Premier Jiang Yi-huah (江宜樺) to discuss the issue on Aug. 31 after Huang took the initiative to report the results of the probe to him. He asked Huang to explain the case further the next day.
Vice President Wu Den-yih (吳敦義) and Ma’s top aide, Representative to the US King Pu-tsung (金溥聰), learned about the case after the SID press conference on Sept. 6, Ma said.
He shrugged off concerns about the motivation behind Huang’s disclosure of the private meetings. He said he would respect the results of the inquiry into Huang’s involvement in wiretapping when asked whether Huang should step down and take responsibility for the incident.
Tropical Storm Gaemi strengthened into a typhoon at 2pm yesterday, and could make landfall in Yilan County tomorrow, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. The agency was scheduled to issue a sea warning at 11:30pm yesterday, and could issue a land warning later today. Gaemi was moving north-northwest at 4kph, carrying maximum sustained winds near its center of up to 118.8kph and gusts of 154.8kph. The circumference is forecast to reach eastern Taiwan tomorrow morning, with the center making landfall in Yilan County later that night before departing from the north coast, CWA weather forecaster Kuan Shin-ping (官欣平) said yesterday. Uncertainty remains and
SEA WARNING LIKELY: The storm, named Gaemi, could become a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, with the Taipei City Government preparing for flooding A tropical depression east of the Philippines developed into a tropical storm named Gaemi at 2pm yesterday, and was moving toward eastern Taiwan, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Gaemi could begin to affect Taiwan proper on Tuesday, lasting until Friday, and could develop into a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, it said. A sea warning for Gaemi could be issued as early as Tuesday morning, it added. Gaemi, the third tropical storm in the Pacific Ocean this typhoon season, is projected to begin moving northwest today, and be closest to Taiwan on Wednesday or Thursday, the agency said. Today, there would likely
DISRUPTIONS: The high-speed rail is to operate as normal, while several airlines either canceled flights or announced early departures or late arrivals Schools and offices in 15 cities and counties are to be closed today due to Typhoon Gaemi, local governments announced last night. The 15 are: Taipei, New Taipei City, Taoyuan, Tainan, Keelung, Hsinchu and Kaohsiung, as well as Yilan, Hualien, Hsinchu, Miaoli, Chiayi, Pingtung, Penghu and Lienchiang counties. People should brace for torrential rainfall brought by the storm, with its center forecast to make landfall on the east coast between tonight and tomorrow morning, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The agency issued a sea warning for the typhoon at 11:30pm on Monday, followed by a land warning at 11:30am yesterday. As of
CASUALTY: A 70-year-old woman was killed by a falling tree in Kaohsiung as the premier warned all government agencies to remain on high alert for the next 24 hours Schools and offices nationwide are to be closed for a second day today as Typhoon Gaemi crosses over the nation, bringing torrential rain and whipping winds. Gaemi was forecast to make landfall late last night. From Tuesday night, its outer band brought substantial rainfall and strong winds to the nation. As of 6:15pm last night, the typhoon’s center was 20km southeast of Hualien County, Central Weather Administration (CWA) data showed. It was moving at 19kph and had a radius of 250km. As of 3pm yesterday, one woman had died, while 58 people were injured, the Central Emergency Operation Center said. The 70-year-old